Numerical Study of Coupled Heat and Mass Transfer in Laterite Brick Walls

Abstract

The insulation performance of a wall is an important contributor to the global energy performance of a building. With the results of the study, we intend to help determining suitable thickness and insulation performance of laterite bricks wall in practical applications. The results of a numerical modelling of coupled heat and mass transfers within a wall made of laterite bricks are presented with validation against experimental data. Based on the work of Luikov, a mathematical predictive model of heat and mass transfer is developed. Temperature and moisture are considered as potential drivers of transfers. The simulation results allowed us to plot the spatiotemporal distribution of temperature and moisture fields within the studied wall. The results show that laterite bricks wall acts as a shield against heat and moisture propagation. Besides. The results show that the greater the thickness of the wall made with cut laterite bricks, the better it insulates against heat and humidity. In the context of Burkina Faso, the results allow to determine the suitable thickness of the laterite brick wall according to the desired insulation level.